In this episode

Sotiris Dedes arrived in Copenhagen after weeks of struggling to complete his training, with his participation looking uncertain. He ultimately finished in around 9 hours and 15 minutes, setting a personal best, taking fourth place in his age group and qualifying for Kona once again.

Together with Jenny Boulmeti, his coach at KALA Unit, he unpacks the preparation and the race itself: changes to his swimming, managing the bike leg, fueling and chasing a podium place during the marathon. The conversation returns to consistency, support from friends and the place of sport in a busy daily life.

Detailed show notes

Progress built over the years

Sotiris started in basketball before putting years of consistent work into triathlon. His personal bests over middle and long distance open a discussion about age and the room for improvement available to an amateur athlete. He emphasises the time and training that came before each result.

A race that fits into a holiday

Copenhagen was first chosen as a place he wanted to return to. The city, friends and the days after the race were all part of the plan. He highlights the convenient organisation and contact with spectators, as well as the technical sections of the bike course that called for care.

More work in the pool, restraint on the bike

Increased swim training is linked to his improvement in the opening leg. On the bike, he combined power, heart rate and how he felt to assess the effort. Although his numbers were initially higher than planned, he held back on the second lap, keeping the marathon ahead in mind.

Fueling practised in training

Sotiris places particular importance on executing his fueling plan, using Kala Carbs on the bike and staying consistent with the timing of his intake. He reports a personal intake of around 120 grams of carbohydrate per hour, which he had tested during preparation. For more on testing and tolerance, the article on carbohydrates and gut training offers further reading.

Fatigue after Lanzarote and support from friends

Lanzarote left him with considerable fatigue, and returning to training was difficult. Jenny explains that there were weeks when Sotiris could not complete his training plan. Rest, changes to fueling and training with friends all became part of the effort to regain his rhythm, while he continued working and playing basketball.

The marathon and the final kilometres for a podium place

He completed the run leg in 3:19:57. Sotiris describes managing the effort, maintaining his fueling and receiving updates from Jenny and friends. In the final four kilometres, he tried to close the gap to the podium. Fourth place, roughly half a minute behind third, prompted a discussion about the small details of the race.

Goals that bring motivation and enjoyment

A podium place remains a source of motivation for Sotiris, without diminishing the value of an effort that does not produce the hoped-for result. He talks about being grateful that he can race, enjoying training with friends and relaxing after the finish. The conversation closes with the acceptance that conditions are rarely ideal in every respect.

Proposed chapter times (not yet verified against the published edit)

These timestamps come from the timestamped transcript. They are shown as a draft reference and are not active seek links.

  • 00:00:00 — Returning to the podcast and introduction
  • 00:01:48 — Choosing races and preparing without committing too early
  • 00:03:38 — Sotiris qualifies for Kona again
  • 00:07:18 — The Lab: calculators for training
  • 00:10:00 — Greek athletes qualifying in Copenhagen
  • 00:11:03 — His sporting journey, personal bests and age
  • 00:17:36 — An extended period of race preparation
  • 00:18:50 — Why Copenhagen: the city, the holiday and the swim course
  • 00:23:48 — Swimming improvements and small margins
  • 00:27:17 — Transition and the bike course
  • 00:33:29 — Bike intensity and executing the fueling plan
  • 00:38:24 — Kala Carbs and testing in training
  • 00:39:32 — Fatigue after Lanzarote and support from friends
  • 00:45:50 — Basketball, work and amateur sport
  • 00:49:56 — The difficult training session that shifted his mindset
  • 00:53:54 — A 3:19:57 marathon and managing the effort
  • 00:59:08 — The final kilometres and the chase for a podium place
  • 01:02:49 — The finish and fourth place in his age group
  • 01:06:54 — Goals, motivation and the value of the effort
  • 01:10:16 — Waiting for the ideal race
  • 01:13:41 — Closing thoughts and upcoming races

Key takeaways

  • The personal best followed years of work and specific changes to his preparation.
  • His decision to hold back on the bike also took the marathon ahead into account.
  • His fueling plan had been tested before the race and was executed consistently.
  • Coaching and support from friends played a substantial role during the difficult weeks.
  • The podium goal goes hand in hand with enjoying participation and everyday training.